Connor Ripley has set his sights on becoming Middlesbrough's No 1 goalkeeper next season after enjoying a stunning campaign out on loan.

The 24-year-old has earned rave reviews at Oldham Athletic this term, keeping 18 clean sheets for the Latics and named in the League One Team of the Season.

With Boro's goalkeeping department set for a summer overhaul this summer - with the possibility of Victor Valdes, Brad Guzan, Dimi Konstantopoulos and Tomas Mejias all leaving - the door appears to have opened for Academy graduate Ripley to stake his claim.

Ripley was last seen in a Boro jersey in January 2012, when he replaced Danny Coyne in an FA Cup tie at Sunderland, but has told the Oldham Chronicle he wants to return to Teesside this summer and challenge for his first-team place.

"At the end of the day, I have another year left on my contract at Middlesbrough," Ripley said.

"I personally do want to be at Middlesbrough. I want to be playing there, at the club I have supported since I was a kid.

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"But ultimately, it is not up to me. If they don't think I am ready, then I will probably go back out on loan.

"There is talk about me staying at Middlesbrough and what will happen if they go down to the Championship. We will have to just wait and see."

Connor Ripley with Ben Gibson

Oldham boss John Sheridan admits the sky is the limit for Ripley, who equalled the club's all-time clean sheet record this season and claimed three prizes at the Latics' end-of-season awards this week.

"He's had a brilliant season," Sheridan told the Oldham Chronicle.

"To keep the amount of clean sheets he has is a superb effort and I'm sure he would like to thank the players in front of him as well.

"Defensively, we have done really well and to equal the record, I am chuffed to bits for him."

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Ripley Jnr was born in Boro but raised in Blackburn during his early years, at a time when father Stuart was making waves at Ewood Park.

A talented striker in his youth, Connor actually spent some of his days as a schoolboy in France - a language which he remains fluent in.

It was on the other side of the Channel when Ripley first pulled on the goalkeeper gloves, asked to do a shift as a No 1 due to a shortage between the sticks

Connor Ripley

After returning to the UK and receiving his education in Blackburn, Ripley eventually sealed a two-year scholarship at Boro in June 2009 - entering the same age group as Ben Gibson in the Rockliffe Park Academy.

Loan spells at Oxford, Bradford and Swedish side Östersund followed - and after helping Boro's Under-21s to a league and cup double, he attracted the attention of then-boss Aitor Karanka.

Ripley spent the end of the 2014/15 season as Boro's deputy first-team keeper behind Dimi Konstantopoulos - and was on the bench in the Championship play-off final against Norwich in May 2015.